Broken-flange detector for car-wheels.



W. R. GOGLAN.

' BROKEN FLANGE DETECTOR FOR GAR WHEELS.

APP LICIATION FILED NOV. 26, 1907.

Patented N0v.17,1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. GOGLAN, OF OAKLAND MARYLAND.

BROIEN-FLANGE DETECTOR FOR CAR-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application filed November 26, 1907. Serial N 0. 403,929.

To all whom it may concern:

' broken flanges on car-wheels, and whereby a signal may be given and the air-brakes may be applied automatically if a flange is broken, before the car is derailed, thus materially reducing the danger of serious accidents from such a cause.

The invention is particularly designed for use onheavy railroad cars, and comprises in brief a device for giving a signal, or applying the brakes, automatically, when the flange of a wheel is broken, the flange of the wheel normally holding such device out of operation; but if the flange is broken the device is'released and the signal given and brakes applied.

The invention once disclosed will be capable of embodiment in various mechanical forms, and I have illustrated one form thereof in the accompanying drawings but do not restrict myself thereto, except in ,the subordinate claims.

The nature of the invention, and the means and manner of utilizing the same will be clearly understood from the following description, and the parts and combinations of parts for which protection is desired are summarized in the claims.

In the drawingsl+igure 1 is a planvicw of a fkmr-wheeled railroad car-truck, equipped with devices embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of one of the devices as applied to one car-wheel. Fig. 3

is a top plan view of such device, showing it set in full lines, and released in dotted lines. Fig. 4- is a side elevation looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig.

In the drawings I have simply conventionally shown a four-wheeled car-truck, which may be of any suitable construction. Zcside each of the truck wheels is a broken-flange detector which, as shown in the drawings, comprises a feeler bar 1, connected to a supporting rod 2, which latter is attached to a slide bar 3, that is preferably angular in cross section, and is mounted in suitable brackets 4, attached to a suitable part of the truck, preferably the truck bolster B, as shown, so as to hold bar 3 parallel with the car-axles, and allow the feeler-bar to project directly toward the periphery of the adjacent car-wheel. The free end of the feeler-bar l is preferably provided with an anti-friction device, such as a ball-caster 1*, which contacts with the tread of the car-wheel and presses against the flange w thereof, as shown.

In order to keep the feeler-bar in contact with the wheel-flange, and at the same time compensate for any variation in the distance between the tread of the wheel and the partof the truck 011 which the slide bar 3 is mounted, I preferably connect the feeler rod and supporting rod by a telescopic joint, as shown, and inter-pose an expansion spring 2, between the feeler-rod and slide-bar 3, which spring tends to push the feeler-bar away from the slide-bar, and also keeps the roller l in contact with the wheel-tread. A spring is also arranged to draw the slide bar 3 inward and cause the fecler-rod to press against the flange 10 of the Wheel. As shown, an expansion spring 3 is interposed between one of the brackets 41- and an arm 5 on the inner end of the slide-bar for this purpose.

The arm 5 is provided with a cross-head or finger 5* on its upper end, which normally stands opposite a valve (3 on a branch airpipe (3, which may be attached to the truck or to an adjacent part of the car body -'(not shown) and which pipe (3 is connected in any suitable way to the air-brake system pipes (not shown) of the car, so that if valve 6 be opened, the air-pipes will be vented and an alarm given and the brakes applied in the well known manner. The valve (3% is preferably provided with a (lepcnding lever (3 which lies opposite the tripping fingcr 5 and if slide bar 3 is released and moved in aid by spring 3, tripping finger 5 will engage lever (3" and open the valve, thus giving the signal and applying the brakes as described. Normally however the slide bar is held outward, so as to keep the trip-rod out of contact with the valve- -lever, by the fceler-bar 1, which is arrested by the flange w, and prevents the inward movement of the slide bar. If however the flange w should break away, in whole or in part, the feeler-rod will find the break and pass therethrough, allowing the slide-bar to be'moved inward and open valve 6* as described. The normal position of the parts when the air-valve is unaffected and the Wheel-flange unbroken, is shown in Fig. 3, in full lines and in same figure the position of the parts after the detector has found a break is shown in dotted lines.

Each wheel of the car may beprovided with such a detecting device, so that if any Wheel-flange breaks, the signal will be given and brakes applied.- g

As shown, the air-pipe 6 is branched so that an air-valve 6 is provided in suitable relation to each detecting mechanism, simi lar parts being similarly lettered in the drawings.

Obviously the essential features of the invention are (1) the provision of a device whereby a broken flange can be instantly detected; (2) having'such device control a signal by which an alarm is given upon the breaking of the flange; and (3) having such device, when released by the breaking of a flange, cause the opening of an air-valve and the application of the brakes.

The mechanical structure by which these novel results are obtained may be considerably varied, and while the specific detector device shown is itself novel and useful and claimed herein also, I do not consider my invention restricted thereto.

Having described. my invention what I claim as new and desire to. secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a car-wheel, a feeler bearing against the wheel-flange, and a slidebar carrying said feeler.

2. In combination with a car-wheel, a feeler-bar bearing against the wheel-flange, a supporting-rod to which the feeler-bar is yieldingly connected, and a slide-bar carrying said rod;

3. In combination, a car wheel, a feeler bearing against the wheel-flange, an d a slidebar carrying said feeler; with a signal device, and a spring for causing the slide-bar to actuate said device when the feeler finds a break in a wheel-flange.

4;. In combination with a car-wheel, a feeler-bar bearing against the Wheel-flange,

a supportingrod to which the feeler-bar is yieldingly connected, and a slide-bar carrying said rod; with a signal device, and'a spring for causing the slide-bar to actuate said device when the feeler-bar finds a break in a wheel-flange.

5. In combination, a car-wheel, an air pipe, and a valve in said pipe; a valve actuating device, and a feeler connected with said device and normally pressing against the wheeel-flange and thereby holding said device in inoperative position 6. In combination, a car-wheel, a signal device, a slide-bar adapted to actuate the signal, a spring for moving said bar to operate the signal, afeeler connected to said bar and engaging the wheel-flange thereby normally preventing the slide-bar actuating the signal.

7. In combination, a car-wheel, an air pipe, a signal, a slide-bar, devices on the bar adapted to actuate the signal, a supportingrod attached to the slide-bar, a feeler connccted on said rod, and a spring for holding the feeler in contact with the Wheel-flange, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a car-truck, an air brake pipe, a valve in said pipe, a slide-bar adapted to actuate the valve, a spring for moving said bar to operate the valve, and a fecler-bar connected to said slide and normally engaging the wheel-flange thereby preventing the slide-bar actuating the valve.

9. In combination, a car-truck an airpipe, a valve therein, a slide-bar, devices on .said bar adapted to actuate the valve, a supl/VILLIAM R. COGLAN.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY A. RAsoHn, DAVID W. WALTER. 

